FEWW Volcano Watch – 101301

Shinmoedake volcano continues to erupt in Kyushu, Japan

The volcano’s latest round of activity began on October 11, after six years of dormancy. The volcano had previously erupted on September 7, 2011.

Shinmoedake on Kirishima mountain [Kirishimayama] on the island of Kyushu, Japan continues to eject plumes of smoke and ash to a height of about 1.7 km above the crater.

Ash fall was confirmed in four nearby cities and towns in Miyazaki prefecture after Thursday’s eruption.

Shinmoedake eruption on Oct 12, 2017 send a plume of whit smoke and ash to a height of about 1.7 km above the crater. Image: JMA/via Kyodo.

Japan Meteorological Agency has raised the eruption warning level from 2 to 3 ( on a scale of 1-5) after detecting inflation, which they have interpreted as increased probability of larger eruptions with pyroclastic flows occurring within the 2-kilomter radius from the crater.

Ongoing Activity at Sakurajima (Aira Caldera)

About two dozen events have been detected at Mt Sakurajima’s Showa Crater starting October 2. At least three of the events were explosive, exhaling plumes to heights of bout 1.6 km above the crater. An explosion ejected pyroclasts as far as 800m on October 5. Alert level remains at 3.

New Volcanic Activity (Global)

New volcanic activity have been reported at two volcanoes in Indonesia and one in Vanuatu:

• Aoba (Ambae Island, Vanuatu)  Ash plumes rose to a height of 3.7 km a.s.l. on Oct 10. State of Emergency on the island has been extended for two weeks, through Oct 24. Some 11,000 residents were evacuated last month.

Indonesia

• Mt. Agung (Bali)  An increase in seismic activity around the volcano forced the authorities to evacuate  about 124,000 people who lived around the volcano. The Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management declared a 12-kilometer exclusion zone around the volcano on September 24 after hundreds of volcanic earthquake rattled the volcano.

• Lewotolo (Lomblen Island)  Around 800 people living near the volcano have been evacuated amid new activity. PVMBG has raised the alert level from 1 to 2 (on a scale of 1-4)

Volcano Eruption Alert: Mt Sakurajima Ejects Large Plume of Ash

Sakurajima ejects  impressive column of ash 5km into the air

The explosive eruption occurred Friday morning producing a large plume of smoke and ash.

Today’s eruption is reportedly the most powerful eruption in recent months.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan)
Ontake crater
31°35′19″N,  130°39′17″E
Summit Elevation: 1,117 m
Minamidake crater
31°34′38″N, 130°39′32″E
Summit Elevation: 1,060 m

Authorities upgraded the volcanic warning to a “Level 3 (Do not approach the volcano)” on February 5.

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Sakurajima is located in Kagoshima Bay, southern Kyushu, Japan (about 1,100km WSW of Tokyo). The composite volcano has three peaks: Kitadake, Nakadake and Minamidake (southern peak).

Since 1955 the Minamidake crater, has been continually active. The ongoing activity includes strong strombolian to ash explosions at least once and as many as 8 times a day.

Sendai nuclear power station was built about 50km from the volcano, and despite hundreds of recent eruptions, it was restarted on August 11, 2015.

Sakurajima is a post-caldera cone of the Aira caldera, a gigantic caldera in the southern portion of the island of Kyushu. The caldera was formed by a massive VEI 7 eruption (~ 400km³ of ejecta), about 22,000 years ago, “shortly” after the Oruanui eruption of New Zealand’s Taupo Volcano.

Related Links

• Sakurajima Volcano Explodes February 5, 2016
• Sakurajima Volcano ‘Unhappy’ with Sendai Nuke Restart August 15, 2015

Sakurajima Volcano Explodes

Sakurajimsa erupts at Showa crater

The explosive eruption occurred at 09:56UTC producing a large plume of smoke and ash followed by lava flow.

Authorities upgraded the volcanic warning to a “Level 3 (Do not approach the volcano).”

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Sakurajima is located in Kagoshima Bay, southern Kyushu, Japan (about 1,100km WSW of Tokyo). The composite volcano has three peaks: Kitadake, Nakadake and Minamidake (southern peak).

Since 1955 the Minamidake crater, has been continually active. The ongoing activity includes strong strombolian to ash explosions at least once and as many as 8 times a day.

Sendai nuclear power station was built about 50km from the volcano, and despite hundreds of recent eruptions, it was restarted on August 11, 2015.

Sakurajima is a post-caldera cone of the Aira caldera, a gigantic caldera in the southern portion of the island of Kyushu. The caldera was formed by a massive VEI 7 eruption (~ 400km³ of ejecta), about 22,000 years ago, “shortly” after the Oruanui eruption of New Zealand’s Taupo Volcano.

In August 2015, a level 4 emergency warning [“prepare to evacuate”] was issued after the local “experts” warned that a major eruption was imminent.

Related Links

• Sakurajima Volcano ‘Unhappy’ with Sendai Nuke Restart August 15, 2015
• Sakurajima Ejects Massive Column of Ash June 7, 2014
• Sakurajima Volcano Erupts Explosively May 11, 2014
• Sakurajima Erupts for 500th Time This Year August 18, 2013

Sakurajima Ejects Massive Column of Ash

VOLCANIC HAZARD
SCENARIOS 07, 070
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Volcanic Activity Continues at Japan’s Sakurajima

Sakurajima’s eruption on Friday was the most powerful one at the volcano since last month when the volcano spewed large columns of ash with rivers of lava flowing in the direction of nearby Ibusiki City.

Ash clouds from Mt. Sakurajima explosion reached a height of 4,500 meters,  the second-highest since 1955. A record of 5,000 meters was set in 2013.

Ash fall was reported late Friday evening in areas southeast of the volcano.

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Sakurajima is located in Kagoshima Bay, southern Kyushu, Japan (about 1,100km WSW of Tokyo). The composite volcano has three peaks: Kitadake, Nakadake and Minamidake (southern peak).

Mt. Sakurajima Eruption on June 6, 2014. Photo credit: Kagoshima Meteorological Observatory

Ongoing Eruptions

Since 1955 the Minamidake crater has been continually active. The ongoing activity includes strong strombolian to ash explosions at least once and as many as 8 times a day.

The volcano was placed under a Level 3 (orange) alert by the Japan Meteorological Agency on March 21, 2012.

Level 3 (orange) alert means the volcano is active (do not approach crater).

A major lava flow in 1914 connected the volcano island  to the Osumi Peninsula on the Kyushu Island.

Related Links

• Sakurajima Volcano Erupts Explosively  May 11, 2014